Marlins Top Prospects: #10 Jose Ceda

Jose Ceda joined the Marlins organization in 2008 in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. After missing the entire 2009 season due to a right shoulder injury, Ceda bounced back with a solid 2010 campaign and reached the Majors for the first time.

The Dominican spent the majority of a dominant season last year with the Zephyrs before returning to the big leagues.

Ceda was off to a very promising season before getting called up to the majors in early-August, having recorded 53 strikeouts in 40 appearances. Ceda also recorded 24 saves - only five games shy of breaking the club's single-season saves record held by Jim Mann (2001) - despite pitching in only seven games after June 18.

With a consistent 95-96 mph fastball, and his command to keep it down in the zone, Ceda was tabbed by Baseball America as "Best Relief Prospect" in the Pacific Coast League. His location on a solid slider has greatly improved, as well as a devastating splitter that has been developed into a usable third pitch, particularly against lefties.

"Ceda uses both the slider and the split-finger as an out pitch," said Zephyrs pitching coach Charlie Corbell. "He commands both very well."

With the emergence of young arms such as Mike Dunn, Ryan Webb and Steve Cishek, Ceda could fall victim to a numbers crunch in the Miami bullpen in 2012. Ceda will look to refine those three pitches for the 2012 season, if not with the Marlins, then in the back end of the New Orleans bullpen.